Chapter 711: Riddles
The Elder Scholar took Liu Shiliu on a tour of this Huaihuang County. Liu Shiliu had never traveled through the Lizhu Cave Heaven, so he couldn't speak of things changing while people remained the same.
The big man only felt sorrow.
This was the place where Little Qi, though far from home, had considered his heart's true resting place.
True scholars are prone to looking around in bewilderment, finding it hardest on the boundless sea of learning to locate a "homeland" where they can set down their hearts.
Liu Shiliu somewhat regretted that "return to the mountains" journey of his. He should have waited a bit longer. Even if it couldn't change the outcome of Lizhu Cave Heaven, at least it would have let Little Qi know that when he traveled far alone, there was still a fellow sect brother behind him, seeing him off.
At least he wouldn't have been so utterly alone, as if opposing the entire world. How could that not be lonely? It would even make people pity him, laugh at him, fail to understand him.
The Elder Scholar said softly, "Silly big guy, don't be too sad. We scholars, when flipping through books in pursuit of learning, concentrate our minds and comprehend. We treat the sages of the past as neighbors and friends. When we put down the sage books, we take up the task without yielding, asking 'who but me?'"
The Elder Scholar murmured the phrase "who but me" again.
Liu Shiliu nodded, but he was still a bit downcast. Restraining his innate nature and original mind had always been something he was good at.
Years stretched on, added to the sea house. If speaking in terms of true age, not to mention his fellow sect brothers, even his Master and his close friend Bai Ye were not as "old" as he was. Far from it.
But in the pursuit of the Dao, there was a sequence of precedence.
That was why the short, thin Elder Scholar beside Liu Shiliu was called the "Elder" Scholar.
Huaihuang County was now a top-tier upper county of the Great Li Dynasty.
The townsfolk's most profitable livelihood used to be firing porcelain—living off the mountain and water. Now, the native people had almost all left the town and the dragon kilns. They sold their ancestral homes and moved to the prefectural cities to enjoy life. In the old days, the town's biggest and only official was the supervisor. Now, officials and clerks of all sizes were everywhere. Peach blossoms bloomed seasonally each year. The old porcelain mountain and the immortal's grave were gone, but the civil and military temples had their incense offerings. On mountaintops and by riversides, shrine temples to the landscape gods sprang up, with a constant stream of pilgrims.
In the old days, the town had no county office, but it had an old locust tree that shaded acres of land. Beneath it, every dusk, old folks would gather to talk about past events. Children who had grown tired of the stories would play on their own. In the sweltering heat, when the children were exhausted from playing, they would run to the Iron Lock Well and wait eagerly for their elders to pull up baskets from the well. Then they would watch as the elders sliced the naturally chilled fruits with a knife. Even if the weather was hot, their hearts were hot, and their clothes were hot, the water was cool, the melons were cool, and the knife was cool. It felt like even their eyes were cool.
The Elder Scholar arrived at the site of the Iron Lock Well. The well without the iron chain was still there, but its inner mysteries were gone. The government had now lifted the restrictions, but fewer and fewer households came to draw water. Because now, in this small county, dragons and fishes mingled together. Many cultivators came to absorb dragon qi, spiritual qi, immortal qi, and the luck of mountains and rivers. As a result, the town had lost much of its market atmosphere. It wasn't as lively as the northern prefectural city, with its curling smoke from cooking fires and the crowing of roosters and barking of dogs.
The Elder Scholar suddenly laughed. "Your little junior brother worked as a kiln apprentice back in the day. His craftsmanship was superb. But since he traveled far in his youth, claiming he never truly graduated, he rarely made a move. So if you see your little junior brother in the future, you can ask him to make you some scholarly offerings—things like the Four Treasures of the Study, the Little Nine Marquises, whatever. Pick a few. Speak directly to your little junior brother; there's no need to stand on ceremony. Your junior brother has never been stingy."
Liu Shiliu grunted in acknowledgment.
This reunion with his Master after a long separation had been filled, every step of the way, with his Master constantly mentioning the little junior brother. Liu Shiliu listened and committed it to heart, without a trace of jealousy—only happiness. Because his Master's state of mind hadn't been this relaxed in a long time.
Of course, the Elder Scholar was implying something. But after waiting a long time for Silly Big Guy to catch on, he finally kicked Liu Shiliu in the shin.
The Master felt deep guilt toward his youngest disciple. He didn't have the face to ask for things himself. Couldn't the other students share the Master's burden a little? Silly Big Guy was nothing like the little junior brother in cleverness. Far from it.
Liu Shiliu immediately understood. He said, "Student will also ask for a few items for Master."
The Elder Scholar pretended to be troubled, rubbing his hands. "What's the proper way to do this? What's the proper way?"
Liu Shiliu said, "Master didn't say anything. The little junior brother is so smart, he'll naturally understand."
The Elder Scholar's face changed instantly, and he stroked his beard with a smile. "Of course. That little junior brother of yours is best at drawing inferences from one case. He has the most talent with the words 'ten thousand' and 'one.' Master hardly taught him well, yet the disciple could learn excellently on his own. Now, people say my skill in taking disciples is unmatched in the world. It's actually quite embarrassing for Master."
In truth, when taking Chen Ping'an as his youngest disciple, Old Master Suishan hadn't said anything about the Elder Scholar. Chen Chun'an, the pure Confucian, Bai Ze, and later Bai Ye—none of them had added a single word of agreement.
So who exactly the Elder Scholar's "everyone" referred to, only heaven knew.
Liu Shiliu nodded. "Just from hearing some of Bai Ye's and Master's accounts, I'm certain that little junior brother is an extremely clever person."
The Elder Scholar laughed heartily.
A long-lost feeling of refreshed clarity.
Silly Big Guy praised three people at once: Master had good judgment, the little junior brother was clever, and the senior brother was firmly convinced.
Acceptable, acceptable. Very good, very good.
In the worldly knowledge of human relations, among the four direct disciples back then, Cui Chan was naturally first. Actually, Silly Big Guy could rank second, but he just didn't like to talk and pretended to be a mute gourd. When he did choose to speak, he was often single-minded, like when he once chased after A Liang. Among the four sect brothers, there was no distinction of close or distant, but speaking of daily interactions, Little Qi and Zuo You had frequent disputes, though they were actually closer to each other. Cui Chan and Liu Shiliu got along well—one had too many thoughts, the other too few words, so instead they got along best.
Liu Shiliu walked through the town. Besides strolling with his Master, he was also paying close attention to many details: whether the gate gods posted on each household's door had any spiritual radiance, the quality of incense offerings at the civil and military temples, whether the flow of mountains-and-rivers qi in the counties and prefectures was stable and orderly... All these were manifestations of Senior Brother Cui Chan's increasingly perfected "pragmatic learning"—an intangible "manifestation of the Great Dao" within the Great Li Dynasty.
One must know that "the human mind is perilous; the Dao mind is subtle"—these were the first eight characters of the Confucian tradition's sixteen-character "heart-transmission."
In Liu Shiliu's eyes, Cui Chan's meticulous cultivation over a hundred years in Great Li and Bottle Gourd Continent could be described as both lifting heavy weights with ease and lifting light weights as if they were heavy.
In his early days, before he became the Great Li National Master and was merely the Embroidery Tiger of the Literary Sage lineage, Cui Chan had many words he wanted to speak to this world. But as his knowledge grew and his innate pride soared, it seemed that in his whole life, the only person willing to lend an ear was Liu Shiliu—only this taciturn junior brother was worth Cui Chan's speaking to.
Liu Shiliu said, "Earlier, when that ancient remnant's golden body shattered, my original intention was to gift it to the Northern March region as a reciprocation to Weishan Lord of Cloak Mountain. I didn't expect that there would be a strange existence at Qilong Lane capable of using divine powers to gather all the golden body fragments. From the Weishan Lord's attitude, he didn't seem surprised by this, nor did he appear to hold any grudge."
The Elder Scholar nodded. "That fellow daoist Longevity from Qilong Lane has an extraordinary background. She is the incarnation of an ancient Golden Essence Copper Coin, the progenitor of all such coins. She is currently a non-registered offering elder of Fallen Mountain. For her to gather the golden body fragments is a perfect match for her Dao. It's effortless for her. Apart from the Weishan Lord, the cultivators in the Northern March region can only be completely baffled. The Weishan Lord is also used to taking the blame for Fallen Mountain. Debts don't weigh down a man, right? So from now on, if you meet the Weishan Lord, be extra polite. Look at how magnanimous he is, hosting night travel banquets one after another without even blinking."
Liu Shiliu said, "Then I'll go find Senior Brother Zuo later and smash a few more golden bodies of remnants who covet the Northern March mountains and rivers. I'll also discuss it with Fellow Daoist Longevity beforehand and have her give fifty percent to Cloak Mountain."
The Elder Scholar nodded approvingly and said with a smile, "Helping others helps yourself. That's indeed a good habit."
That single-minded fellow Zuo You wouldn't have any major problems for now.
Even if something unexpected happened, the Master wasn't a freeloader.
Besides, Liu Shiliu's words didn't carry any weight with Senior Brother Zuo You either.
That fellow Zuo You had always liked to put on senior brother airs since he was young. Back then, in the Sword Qi Great Wall's wine shop, he had been somewhat awkward and not quite proper.
In the old days, whenever the Elder Scholar wanted to drink more or cook extra food to please his stomach, he would urge Silly Big Guy to go to the money-holder Zuo You and try to negotiate: "We have money today, so let's spend it. If we have none tomorrow, we'll borrow then." But it never worked out once. Little Qi was more generous; whenever he had free time, he would set up a stall to help people write letters and Spring Festival couplets, earning some private money. He wouldn't let Senior Brother Zuo handle it. Then Master and the students would sneakily leave Zuo You behind, eat their fill and get rid of the smell of alcohol outside the house walls before entering. Zuo You couldn't manage that.
Liu Shiliu asked, "On the way here, Bai Ye mentioned something to me. He said that Xiao Xun, the former Hidden Officer of the Sword Qi Great Wall, should have harmonized with the Wildlands Heaven."
The Elder Scholar said, "Xiao Xun is a sword immortal, and she harmonized with a heaven, so she's certainly not to be underestimated. But if push comes to shove for Zuo You, he doesn't need to harmonize with a heaven to advance to the Fourteen Realm..."
Speaking up to here, the Elder Scholar grew worried. He shook his head. "It's better not to have that happen. Which Fourteen Realm cultivator can be a carefree person? Besides, your Senior Brother Zuo is a sword immortal—the most taboo type. It's a huge trouble, as you well know. Once Zuo You gets stubborn, not to mention you junior brothers, even I, his Master, can hardly talk him out of it. Back then, I was reluctant to let Zuo You switch to learning the sword."
Liu Shiliu said, "Senior Brother Zuo started learning the sword very late, yet he turned 'sword immortal seed' into a laughingstock among the mountains. Even Bai Ye thinks Zuo You's Dao is not small, and his swordsmanship will reach great heights."
The Elder Scholar sighed with emotion. "The principle of loss and gain cannot be ignored."
During this walk, many passersby noticed the tall and sturdy Liu Shiliu. But fortunately, the Dragon Prefecture was now accustomed to immortals and cultivators coming and going, so they didn't find the big man particularly frightening.
Because of the dissolution of the contract between the youngest disciple Chen Ping'an and Zhi Gui from Mud Vase Alley, the Great Li Dynasty, as a form of repayment, left the ancient well—which was something like a small cave heaven—as only a "false image." The "true form" was moved to the pond behind the bamboo building on Fallen Mountain. Within the well was another world. Although the Great Li Song clan recognized the well's many secret uses, they had always lacked the means to open up the small cave heaven independently. The Bottle Gourd Continent simply had too few sword immortals. Otherwise, the small cave heaven within the well, though small in area, was a quite extraordinary treasure land for cultivation, especially suitable for dragons, flood dragons, and water essence spirits. Of course, it was also possible that Cui Dongshan had deliberately kept it from them, considering the well as already belonging to his family.
The Elder Scholar sat by the well for a while, pondering how to connect the cave heaven and blessed land, allowing the Lotus Root Blessed Land and the small cave heaven to link up. After thinking it over, finding someone to help wasn't too hard. After all, the Elder Scholar had accumulated some karmic goodwill in the Haoran Heaven. Unfortunately, borrowing money was too difficult. So he could only sigh, "A single coin can stump a hero. It worries a poor scholar to death." Liu Shiliu said he could borrow money from Bai Ye. But the Elder Scholar shook his head, saying that borrowing from friends and not repaying would hurt the friendship. Then the old man looked up at Silly Big Guy. Liu Shiliu thought for a moment and said, then it wouldn't count as borrowing from Bai Ye.
It was said that when Bai Ye first escorted Jun Qian back to the mountains, he drunkenly wrote the word "magnificent view," deliberately adding an extra dot to the character for "magnificent."
The implication was that his friend Jun Qian had more than a little magnificent spirit, observing the world's mountains and rivers for a thousand years.
Thinking back to those days, that scholar widely praised as the most accomplished in the mortal world could produce such calligraphy, with such inspiration—indeed, he had not a shred of disappointment.
After sending his friend back to the mountains, when descending alone, Bai Ye wielded his sword in the mortal world, cleaving open the Yellow River Cave Heaven with one stroke. That scholar single-handedly defied Heaven's Dao, ensuring that the Central Earth Divine Continent would no longer suffer great droughts.
Moreover, by this single act alone, he increased the water fortune of the entire Haoran Heaven by ten percent.
What a display of high spirits!
Therefore, Wei Bo, the deity who originated from the old Divine Water Nation, naturally held Bai Ye in the highest esteem.
And the only person who could be so casual and unreserved with Bai Ye was probably this "Brother Jun Qian," who had once sought immortals with Bai Ye.
The Elder Scholar finally beamed. He stood up, vigorously patted Silly Big Guy's arm, and praised him. "Shiliu, you've improved."
Was there any senior brother in the world who didn't look after his junior brother? At least in their Literary Sage lineage, there definitely wasn't.
It wasn't that the Elder Scholar had no way of obtaining money himself. Having harmonized with three continents of the Haoran Heaven, even the most deeply hidden heavenly treasures couldn't escape his sight. But he believed in doing only what should be done and refraining from what shouldn't. He still had to follow the rules of acquiring wealth through righteous means. Especially since the Dao order was intangible; if he took something unreasonably today, he might lose it unpredictably tomorrow. It wasn't worth it. As the Master, he didn't want to cause trouble for his youngest, most accomplished disciple, whose wings were still growing.
He took Liu Shiliu to the Grand Scholar Arch, commonly known as the Crab Arch. The Elder Scholar stopped. "This is the Ascension Platform guarded by the Azure Youth Heavenly Lord. Look what it's been refined into."
The Elder Scholar held one hand behind his back and pointed at the sky with the other. "Once upon a time, a heavenly general was responsible for guiding terrestrial immortals in their ascension. Of course, back then, the so-called terrestrial immortals were considered 'true' for understanding the mortal world—they were quite valuable, in contrast to 'celestial immortals.' They lived long in the world, roamed freely on land, and were called land gods. As for the present-day Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators, though also referred to as terrestrial immortals, they can't compare by any means. The 'seeking truth' of the immortal realm was essentially about seeking this truth—comprehending the Heavenly Dao, being free from burdens, and ultimately ascending. In that earth-shattering and heroic battle, this heavenly general, clad in the 'Great Frost' divine armor, was the only one who chose to fight to the death. He was nailed to the great gate by an elder predecessor... no, by an ageless predecessor, that someone or other."
The last true dragon in the world, after enduring countless hardships, fled here for a reason. As long as the Azure Youth Heavenly Lord was willing to reopen the Ascension Platform, the dragon would have a sliver of hope to survive. Since the sky was already gone, ascension was naturally out of the question. But fleeing to a secret realm of shattered mountains and rivers was not difficult. Then it would truly be a case of sky high and earth wide. However, the Azure Youth Heavenly Lord, as one of the most notorious celestial prisoners, was in a difficult position—like a clay Buddha crossing the river, barely able to save himself. Even if self-preservation wasn't hard, he needed to hold offerings of incense above his head every day to keep the incense from dying out. Naturally, he wouldn't want to break the grand rules of the three Fifteen-Realm cultivators for the sake of a single small true dragon.
In the Lizhu Cave Heaven, Old Man Yang used a chain of interlocking truths to conceal the superficial falsehood visible to the world. In fact, he was hiding a certain greatest truth. That was the real illusion technique.
The Elder Scholar paused beneath the archway for a long time, gazing up at one of the plaques.
Liu Shiliu asked, "This time, when the Wildlands Heaven entered the Haoran Heaven, that fellow using the alias Zhou Mi had many methods. Does Master know what his background is?"
Because of his identity, Liu Shiliu had never been very interested in the affairs of the world.
The Elder Scholar's expression turned serious. He said slowly, "His surname is Jia. I won't say his full name, to avoid attracting his prying. He was once a proper disciple of our Confucian school, so addressing him as Jia Sheng will do."
Liu Shiliu immediately understood. "So it's him."
On second thought, it was unexpected yet within reason.
Throughout history, many scholars who came "after Jia Sheng's death" had felt sorry for him and even argued his case. Some even bluntly called him "the only great Confucian, Jia Sheng." The person who said this was no ordinary individual.
So-called great Confucian praised Jia Sheng's great talent, great boldness, and great ambition. Obviously, there was no small amount of dissent within the Confucian lineage regarding the current rules. The Western Buddhist Kingdom and the Azure Sky Heaven had no such "hundred schools contending."
Liu Shiliu asked, "In Master's opinion, what exactly are Jia Sheng's 'Twelve Policies for Peace'?"
"A potent medicine that truly can bring peace."
The Elder Scholar smiled. "Unfortunately, there's a problem: Jia Sheng is too focused on curing the disease. Even if he saves people, the dose is too strong. For example, in this marketplace of the foot of the mountain, no matter how good the medicinal supplement, after enduring for several years or a decade, the person mostly becomes a walking medicine pot. How can that not be worrying? These are only the surface issues. There's a deep-rooted symptom: Jia Sheng's learning fundamentally diverges from the Confucian orthodoxy."
Liu Shiliu asked softly, "So that was why Master categorically negated Senior Brother's 'pragmatic learning' back then?"
The Elder Scholar hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "Pragmatic learning is better than Jia Sheng's, because it doesn't involve tearing everything down and rebuilding. It doesn't nail the windows shut, leaving only one door. Your senior brother's pragmatic learning is far from as extreme as Jia Sheng's."
The Elder Scholar pointed at the archway plaques that had lost their luster and asked, "The plaques hang high, while couplets are often pasted wide. Why?"
Following his Master's pointing, Liu Shiliu replied, "Walking on the wide path makes it easier and steadier to reach high places."
The Elder Scholar nodded in approval. Then he led Liu Shiliu around the archway once and used heart-to-heart communication to tell his disciple some inside information.
Four plaques: "Take Up Without Yielding," "Rare Words, Natural Dao," "Seek Not Externally," and "Spirit Charges Through the Bullfight."
After making a full circuit, they returned to stand beneath the plaque "Take Up Without Yielding."
The Elder Scholar focused on talking about the Daoist matter.
The Daoist plaque here read "Rare Words, Natural Dao." The person praised was the chief disciple of the Dao Ancestor and the Great Leader of the Jade Capital. He ultimately refined one qi into three pure ones. On Fortune Street in Lizhu Cave Heaven, that scholar Li Xisheng, who had been replaced through a switcheroo, was part of the Confucian lineage. The one from the Divine Edict Sect was situated in the Daoist sect. As for the remaining one, even the Elder Scholar didn't yet know who it was. It must be a Buddhist disciple.
The contention of the three teachings lies within one person.
I debate the Dao with myself; I am in the world yet aloof from worldly strife. It's like an empty boat bumping into another—even a hot-tempered man would not get angry.
This was the greatness of the Dao of that chief Daoist. One had to acknowledge it.
Compared to the mixed opinions about the other two leaders of the Jade Capital, this chief disciple of the Dao Ancestor had an excellent reputation across the other heavens beyond the Azure Sky Heaven.
Moreover, Dao Number Two and Lu Chen were both accepted as disciples by this person on behalf of the master. Only the Dao Ancestor's youngest disciple was instead taken in by Lu Chen on behalf of the master.
Liu Shiliu frowned slightly.
The Elder Scholar patted his arm. "Don't think too much. Although in Lizhu Cave Heaven, Li Xisheng—one of the three—was a latecomer, in the Haoran Heaven, Little Qi was the one who arrived later. Besides, the chief Daoist himself has no targeted intentions toward Little Qi. Most of the measures came from the other two branches of the Jade Capital. Li Xisheng was never in control of his own circumstances back then. If Lu Chen hadn't come to scheme here, originally, the Dao dispute between Little Qi and Li Xisheng would have been like a great water pillar colliding, churning up towering waves and stirring mountains and rivers. Regardless of victory or defeat, there would have been absolutely no underhandedness. Perhaps..."
Even when speaking with heart-to-heart communication, the Elder Scholar still didn't reveal his true thoughts to his disciple.
The Elder Scholar had originally intended to say, "Those who walk the same path, establishing a school and becoming a patriarch, one principal and one deputy, mutually benefiting each other's Dao."
Whether Li Xisheng or the chief Daoist, or Little Qi, once both sides truly began to debate the Dao, they would certainly have had such breadth of mind.
But it just didn't reach that step.
Now that it had come to this, the overall situation was set. Speaking more was useless.
But the Elder Scholar's reluctance to speak further didn't mean he truly didn't care.
The Elder Scholar never advocated for boundless "repaying evil with kindness." That wasn't breadth of mind; it was ignorance and folly.
Liu Shiliu turned his head—well, he had to look down to see his Master's profile.
His Master tilted his head upward, gazing at those four characters. He was equally sorrowful.
But his Master was too lonely. There weren't many people who could drink with him in mutual understanding, who could let him speak freely.
The plaque's calligraphy read "Take Up Without Yielding."
The Elder Scholar did not look away for a long time.
Who but me.
My Literary Sage lineage: Qi Jingchun of Lizhu Cave Heaven, Cui Chan of Bottle Gourd Continent, Zuo You of Parasol Leaf Continent, Chen Ping'an of the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Now, there was also Liu Shiliu, who had returned to the Haoran Heaven.
A breeze brushed his face. The Elder Scholar looked around and laughed. He raised a hand to scratch his head and murmured, "Spring wind knows my heart, sending dreams back to those years. The world has many improper people, and the times have many unjust affairs. But don't think you can kill the beauty in my heart."
Liu Shiliu, meanwhile, whispered softly.
The past is already past. The future hasn't yet come. Every moment is the past. Every instant there is a future. The past was once the future. The future will become the past.
He got a kick from his Master, who scolded with a laugh, "Stop that, stop that. The Literary Sage lineage luckily has your little junior brother, or else people would laugh at us for being a den of monks."
Liu Shiliu grinned, imitating his Master by scratching his head. Fortunately, he still had plenty of hair.
But when he looked at his Master's emaciated figure, if not for harmonizing with the world, would he even weigh ninety catties? Liu Shiliu was grieved and nearly wept again.
Liu Shiliu looked up. Why wasn't it coming yet? There was no movement in the sky. He felt displeased. Throwing a punch at the enemy could make him forget his worries.
The Elder Scholar said with a wry laugh, "Silly big guy, wish for something good. Fighting and killing is too unscholarly."
Afterward, the Elder Scholar took Liu Shiliu to visit the old schoolhouse. It was old, and no one returned to it, but there was not a trace of decay. Everything was clean and tidy, with objects neatly arranged.
He heard that the little girl Nuan Shu would regularly descend the mountain to clean this schoolhouse and the ancestral home in Mud Vase Alley.
Then they went to the new schoolhouse established by the Dragon Tail Creek Chen clan. The sound of reading filled the air.
The Elder Scholar especially enjoyed watching the children rocking their heads as they chanted. Some children recited fluently from memory; others stumbled through their recitations. But all of it was excellent.
While visiting the schoolhouse, the Elder Scholar also observed the teaching methods of the instructors and examined their expressions and tones.
In truth, true buddhas speak only ordinary words.
For those in officialdom, it was inevitable to adopt an official tone. But one must never only speak officialese. Always remember that all official language originates from human speech.
When a person lives on the mountain as an immortal, they shouldn't only have the immortal aura of clouds and wind on their sleeves. They should also retain some human flavor.
After reading many sage books, people become different, and their principles vary. But in the end, one must hope for the world to improve. Otherwise, merely complaining with bitter words and dragging others into disappointment and despair—that's not very kind.
After leaving the schoolhouse, the Elder Scholar walked through Apricot Flower Alley and said to Liu Shiliu without any preamble, "Back then, Little Qi traveled through the mountains and rivers with Zuo You, while you visited the White Emperor City with Cui Chan."
Liu Shiliu nodded. "After Senior Brother Cui Chan finished the Colored Clouds Game with the City Lord of White Emperor City, he wrote a cursive script piece for Zheng Juzhong: 'No one before, none to come after, and he resides in the middle.'"
The Elder Scholar smiled. "Is that so?"
Liu Shiliu said, "Since he lost the game, Senior Brother Cui was too embarrassed to say much."
"Zheng" was a homophone for "upright" or "precisely."
See, which disciple of the Literary Sage lineage didn't treat others with sincerity?
Afterward, they met a handsome young drunkard on the road. It was Supervisor Cao Gengxin, along with the Commandery Governor Yuan Zhengding. Both were from the Great Li pillar-state surnames.
Supervisor Cao had been drinking. A full wineskin hung at his waist. He and the wineskin wobbled together as he made his way to the yamen to check in.
Sometimes, when Supervisor Cao drank too much in the tavern to walk, he would have a familiar young shop assistant or a child he knew well—he'd give them a handful of copper coins as a running fee—take his wineskin to the Supervisor's Office, set it on the table, and that counted as his check-in.
The Elder Scholar looked at the young man with a smile.
Cao Gengxin also noticed the short old man in Confucian robes sizing him up. Supervisor Cao didn't greet him, but he didn't want to pretend not to see him either. So he belched, turned sideways, and walked sideways across the street. Smiling, he made a deep bow to the unfamiliar old gentleman.
The Elder Scholar nodded in acknowledgment.
Not every scholar-official in the world could be so dashing and free-spirited. But at the same time, a world absolutely needed a few of them.
As for the Commandery Governor Yuan Zhengding, the more the merrier.
In the Elder Scholar's eyes, there was no higher or lower between them. Both were extremely outstanding young men.
After wandering through many of the town's streets and alleys, walking through the somewhat desolate Mud Vase Alley, they then walked back to Qilong Lane. The snow-white robed fellow daoist Longevity was waiting on the steps, having been there for some time. She bowed to the Elder Scholar but said nothing.
The Elder Scholar could hardly close his mouth with his smile. Fellow daoist Longevity then led them into the Ya Sui Shop. The Elder Scholar helped himself to some pastries. Liu Shiliu also tried a few, careful not to eat too much. The acting manager Shi Rou was so startled she nearly dropped dead, about to perform a grand bow to the "Literary Sage who had stepped out of the portrait." But the Elder Scholar waved his hand with a smile, saying there was no need. Liu Shiliu discussed the matter with Fellow daoist Longevity. She, of course, had no objections. If one or two more showers of golden rain fell on the Northern March region, the empty thrones for mountain-and-water deities awaiting in the Lotus Root Blessed Land would emerge like bamboo shoots after rain. Moreover, as a medium-grade blessed land that had just been promoted not long ago, the Lotus Root Blessed Land's number of deities and city gods, as well as the rank of their golden bodies, could match even the top-tier medium-grade blessed lands in the world.
Money falling from the sky was already rare. Money falling into one person's pocket was even rarer.
With this Fellow Daoist Longevity guarding Fallen Mountain, the mountain's wealth was rolling in—no one could stop it.
So, before entering and after leaving, the Elder Scholar thanked her twice with a cheerful smile.
Longevity's first response was only "within my duty." The second time, she habitually beamed and cheerfully accepted the thanks.
After leaving Qilong Lane, the Elder Scholar said, "Your little junior brother isn't around, so go meet one of his closest friends. The person who protects Chen Ping'an the most—he definitely counts as one."
At the blacksmith shop by Dragon Whisker River, Liu Shiliu met Liu Xianyang, who was sitting in a bamboo chair, dozing as he soaked up the sun.
After Liu Shiliu announced his name and title, Liu Xianyang hurriedly invited the Literary Sage to sit down, while bending over and using his elbow to rub the old man's shoulders, asking whether the pressure was too light or too heavy. At the same time, he said to Liu Shiliu, "Then I and Senior are from the same clan. Same clan!"
The Elder Scholar couldn't help but smile, but didn't clarify what kind of "same clan" they were.
Liu Shiliu also found it amusing. He didn't expose it either, tacitly acknowledging the young man's claim.
The Elder Scholar squinted in enjoyment, telling the young man the pressure was just right, very comfortable. Then the old man started swaying his head leisurely, like a child reciting from a book, and said, "Why bother taking earthly pearls and jade? They are as nothing compared to the clay at Yangxian Stream's head."
Liu Xianyang was startled and exclaimed, "The verses we just bought and put in the local county gazetteer, and you already know them, Master? It seems your knowledge is so vast that a single Haoran Heaven can't contain it. You'd need at least the Fifth Heaven."
Since this was Chen Ping'an's master, then he was half a master to Liu Xianyang.
The flattery went a bit far.
Liu Shiliu, being so tall, had to sit on the steps. He rested his fists lightly on his knees, gazed forward, and pretended not to hear.
But his Master took it very seriously. "Such words, just say them among ourselves. Don't spread them around. Otherwise, it'll easily attract envy and jealousy."
Liu Xianyang sat on the bamboo chair beside them, with a lofty and righteous expression. "Master is like the clear breeze and bright moon, naturally. But as a student disciple, whenever I have the chance to speak a few fair words for Master, it's my bounden duty. Good words can never be too many!"
Liu Shiliu couldn't help but take another look at Liu Xianyang, whose face was full of sincerity. This was a Confucian disciple who, according to Master, had studied for many years at the Pure Confucian Chen Clan of Southern Bodhisattva Continent. Recalling the scene on Fallen Mountain—the Weishan Lord, that sword immortal, the pink-dressed little girl Chen Nuanshu, the black-clothed little girl Zhou Mili—they all seemed very polite and reasonable. So Liu Shiliu felt relieved. As long as the little junior brother didn't learn Liu Xianyang's way of speaking, everything would be fine.
The Elder Scholar chatted with Liu Xianyang about some proper scholarship from books.
Question and answer. The Elder Scholar was very satisfied. Once effort had been sufficient in studying depth, one had to rely on natural talent. But whether one was sincere or not didn't depend on talent.
Afterward, the Elder Scholar had Liu Xianyang ask the questions, turning it into another round of question and answer.
From beginning to end, Liu Xianyang remained seated upright.
Finally, the Elder Scholar said to the young man,
"Xianyang, consider this an assignment: think carefully about how to reconcile the foundation of one's being with the way of dealing with the world."
Liu Xianyang nodded, then stood up, took a few steps back, and, in the capacity of a Confucian disciple, made a respectful bow to the Literary Sage present.
The Elder Scholar stood up and smiled as he nodded. "I won't follow the example of later Daoists and return your bow. Because I have asked a question, and you have yet to answer. When you have gained something in the future, I will return the courtesy then."
It was as if Liu Xianyang had withdrawn from a small world of Confucian orthodoxy, immediately revealing his true colors. He straightened up and laughed. "Master, you're flattering your disciple."
Liu Shiliu understood the meaning better than Liu Xianyang.
His Master's question was a great question.
In truth, the core tenets of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism were quite similar at their highest and broadest levels.
For instance, the Transmission of the Lamp records a monk asking, "When the learner does not rely on the ground, what then?" The master replied, "Where will you settle your body and establish your life?"
The Elder Scholar said, "Time to go. Time to go."
Liu Shiliu hurriedly stood up and bowed. "Jun Qian bids farewell to Master."
The Elder Scholar said, "The emperor loves his eldest son; the common people love their youngest. As a master, it's inevitable that I dote a little on my youngest disciple. Jun Qian, don't think too much. After all, Chen Ping'an is different from you all. He spent the least time by Master's side, relied on himself the most, is the youngest, and is still too young..."
Speaking up to here,
The Elder Scholar stopped.
Because the old man suddenly realized that even his youngest disciple—so it turned out, so it turned out, he was no longer young either.
That youth with clear eyes, who didn't even know how to drink, who had traveled thousands of miles in straw sandals—he had already passed the age of thirty and was heading toward forty.
The Elder Scholar sighed, stamped his foot, and his form dissipated.
Liu Xianyang extended a handful of melon seeds. Liu Shiliu sat back down on the steps and shook his head.
Liu Xianyang spoke a few words on his own. Liu Shiliu either nodded or replied with a few terse words. Finally, the two "clan" members who had just met fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. But neither found it awkward.
Finally, Liu Shiliu asked, "Earlier, you were dozing. I could see traces of sword intent flowing through your body. Were you practicing swordplay in your dreams?"
Liu Xianyang nodded and said casually, "There's a hereditary sword scripture. The method of practicing the sword is rather peculiar. Unfortunately, it's not suitable for Chen Ping'an."
Liu Shiliu said, "I am friends with Bai Ye. His swordsmanship is good. If you encounter a major bottleneck on your cultivation path in the future, you can go seek his guidance for sparring. Although Bai Ye has a cold temperament, he is actually warm-hearted. If he meets a junior like you, he will certainly regard you with new eyes."
Liu Xianyang turned his head, cupped his fists with a grin, and said, "Got it! Even if the bottleneck isn't that big, as long as Mr. Bai is willing to teach, I, this junior, am willing to learn!"
Liu Shiliu nodded. The young man wasn't narrow-minded; he had a big heart. He didn't feel at all that he was being condescendingly granted a favor. That was very good.
No wonder he could be friends with the little junior brother.
Like himself and Bai Ye?
Liu Shiliu stood up and took his leave from Liu Xianyang. He was never one for talking, especially not polite words.
Liu Shiliu asked the Weishan Lord to help conceal his movements as he returned to Fallen Mountain.
He planned to stay here for a few more days, waiting until the sky's door opened again, so he could be a good host.
After spending a long time on Fallen Mountain, he became familiar with Wei Bo and also Mi Yu, who had come from the Sword Qi Great Wall.
Liu Shiliu inquired with Sword Immortal Mi about some of his little junior brother's deeds as the Hidden Officer.
He was greatly comforted.
Liu Shiliu now had a fairly thorough understanding of Fallen Mountain.
Although the little junior brother often traveled far, he spent little time in his hometown and more time in foreign lands.
But he had still amassed a considerable fortune. That was indeed not easy.
Currently, Fallen Mountain's assets, aside from the karmic relationship with the Weishan Lord of Cloak Mountain, relied heavily on the dividends from the Niujiao Mountain Ferry's business, bringing in a decent income.
Unfortunately, Liu Shiliu hadn't been able to meet Zhu Lian, nicknamed the Old Cook.
And Master said that his little junior brother's first disciple, that Pei Qian, would eventually astonish the entire world. Hence, Liu Shiliu was quite curious.
Sword Immortal Mi Yu, using the alias Yu Mi, had not yet offered incense in the Ancestral Hall at Jise Peak. But on the Bottle Gourd Continent, a Jade Pu Realm sword immortal from the Sword Qi Great Wall carried no small weight.
However, this sword immortal was indeed too lazy.
It was said that through their family's Fan Mo ferry boat, he purchased many mountain nourishment items used to watch mirrored flowers and water moons—white bowls, paintings, inkstones, letters and calligraphy, etc. He collected over twenty pieces for Mi Yu, spending money like water. When Zhou Mili mentioned this to Liu Shiliu, the little girl felt sorry for Yu Mi. She said, "With this attitude, isn't he obviously heading for a bachelor's life?"
The gatekeeper, Zheng Dafeng, a pure martial artist, had gone to the Fifth Heaven.
Cen Yuanji was a member of the Fallen Mountain Ancestral Hall's genealogy and also an unregistered disciple of Zhu Lian. The little girl practiced fists with great sincerity, walking her stance back and forth on the mountain path from peak to base every day.
Liu Shiliu observed this and planned to find an opportunity, within mountain rules, to give her a few pointers on fist techniques and theory.
Yuan Bao and Yuan Lai, a brother and sister, were direct disciples of Lu Baixiang. They had just left Fallen Mountain not long ago. So now, the mountain was even more desolate.
At the Sword Worship Platform, the Golden Core realm bottleneck was steep. Jiang Qu had become a Qi practitioner and had taken the talisman path.
The old northern Julu Continent true man Huan Yun, who was traveling there, had specifically come for Jiang Qu. He had stayed on Fallen Mountain for a full year, teaching Jiang Qu the art of talismans.
Because Jiang Qu wasn't yet a direct disciple of Fallen Mountain's Ancestral Hall, there were fewer taboos about teaching. The two lacked the name of master and disciple but had the substance.
Another peer, Zhang Jiazhen, had no aptitude for cultivation. But he didn't lose heart. Instead, he chose to follow the great accountant, who never showed his face, Wei Wenlong from the Spring Breeze Banner of Hanging Mountain, to study the art of financial calculation.
At the Ya Sui Shop on Qilong Lane, the female ghost Shi Rou wore the mortal shell of a Flying Ascension Realm great cultivator.
As for Fellow Daoist Longevity, she was something else.
At the Caotou Shop, there was the blind Daoist Jia Sheng, Zhao Denggao, and Tian Jiu'er, a master with two disciples. That little girl Jiu'er's blood was a natural "talisman spring." It was fortunate she had entered Fallen Mountain; otherwise, her fate wouldn't have been good. She could easily have become a money tree for some immortal sect.
A black snake that had migrated from Fallen Mountain to Huimeng Mountain, originally from Chess Mount Mountain, was now in the Dragon Gate Realm. After assuming human form, he was a young man in black with a pale complexion, wearing a Dharma robe called "Duck Green," which was refined from a snake's shed skin. He went by the alias Yun Zi, with the true name "De Zhang."
Regarding the "true name," which was equivalent to half his life, according to Little Mi Li, it was the "decree" of that big white goose. Yun Zi dared not disobey.
Fortunately, besides bestowing a name, Cui Dongshan also granted a heavy treasure of the immortal sect suitable for dragons and flood dragons to cultivate.
As for Yun Zi, a mountain spirit or water monster whose cultivation wasn't easy, his rapid breakthrough in realm was related to his own talent, but not much. It was mostly due to the snake gallbladder stone gifted by Chen Lingjun.
As for the great python at Huanghu Mountain, who was deeply reserved, it was already at the Golden Core realm bottleneck. But the python itself never wanted to walk the river.
The Great Mountain Lord Wei Bo had leaked some celestial secrets to Liu Shiliu: this python had once had the hope of contending for the Dao fortune of the five phases of water with a certain "little loach." Unfortunately, it lost and was ultimately unable to leave Lizhu Cave Heaven.
The python's cultivation talent was naturally not poor. It could already transform into human form. But it rarely showed itself. When it did appear, it was always in its true form. It liked to lurk at the bottom of the great lake, silently carving out a water-dwelling cave.
The former owner of Huanghu Mountain, who had bought the mountain with Golden Essence Copper Coins, only knew that a lake monster dwelled at the bottom of the lake, because the python had never come to shore in human form. So he neither knew its realm nor was he aware of this enormous Dao fortune involving the flow of luck from Lizhu Cave Heaven. Otherwise, he would never have half-sold, half-given Huanghu Mountain to Fallen Mountain.
The python now went by the alias Yellow-Robed Woman. Her true name was also bestowed by Cui Dongshan. On the genealogy, it was "Buddha Pine." She would only occasionally come ashore to visit Zhou Mili.
Zhou Mili still didn't dare to descend the mountain alone. She relied on bags of melon seeds to trade with the Weishan Lord. Once a month, she would be dropped off at the shore of Huanghu Lake.
The Yellow-Robed Woman had azure pupils like water containing clear autumn light. When she came ashore, her whole body emanated a faint and vast watery aura like mist.
By the lakeside, there was an old pine tree, also hiding wonders within, its aura restrained. It had yet to trigger any mountain or water anomalies.
What a sight: a python lurking for a thousand years without stirring, and an old pine tree never ceasing in its meditation.
Completely opposite to Yun Zi, with his natural aggressive aura, the python-formed Yellow-Robed Woman loved stillness and hated movement. Her nest was called Green Mud Slope, located in Huimeng Mountain, giving a strong sense of "poisonous fog felling flying kites, and bloody wind passing giant pythons."
The white-clad youth had once taken the left protector of Qilong Lane to travel to Huanghu Lake. By the water, he smiled and said that a great literary figure had once written a poem "Speaking of Swords": "Leave it to slay the dragon beneath the torrent, not to test it on the street dogs."
The great python lurking at the lake bottom heard this, lowering her head so it touched the mud. As for the mongrel dog behind the white-clad youth, it trembled uncontrollably and lay flat on the ground.
The vassal domain Yellow Court Nation, as well as the old Divine Water Nation—including Red Candle Town and Chess Mount Mountain—were historically part of the ancient Shu region. Legends spoke of continuous dragon and alligator caves, attracting sword immortals to appear among the clouds and waters, their sword light plunging down to slay dragons.
But Liu Shiliu had no intention of meeting Yun Zi or the Yellow-Robed Woman, not wanting to disturb their cultivation. More precisely, he didn't want to disrupt their Dao hearts.
After all, it wasn't a good thing for water descendants of the world to encounter him, Liu Shiliu.
The only exception was that little Mi Li, who carried a golden carrying pole and a green bamboo staff and tirelessly patrolled the mountains morning and evening. Even being with Liu Shiliu every day, she was completely unaffected.
For one, the "great monster of Yaba Lake" had too low a realm. Second, Zhou Mili's Dao heart was shallow and clear, so it didn't bother her.
Additionally, there were other Fallen Mountain Ancestral Hall figures who weren't on the mountain.
After getting familiar with Fallen Mountain, Liu Shiliu discovered that from the young mountain lord to the student disciples, to the direct Ancestral Hall disciples and offering elders, almost all of them were traveling far.
The atmosphere was very strange.
Ordinary mountain peaks wouldn't be like this.
Martial artists, sword immortals, Confucian scholars, Daoist Qi practitioners, various mountain and river spirits, a female ghost.
Plus that special Fellow Daoist Longevity.
And yet they all got along harmoniously.
That, too, was strange.
Today, Zhou Mili pulled the big man to sit on the mountaintop, accompanying her to watch the naive Sister Cen practice her fist techniques as she descended the mountain. Sister Cen's figure got smaller and smaller, making Mi Li so happy she cupped her hands around her mouth and laughed.
After laughing, Zhou Mili, without even Pei Qian's reminder to be more ladylike, felt a little sad. So she decided to say something cheerful. She turned to Liu Shiliu and whispered, "Half Mountain Lord Senior Brother, want to guess riddles? I know a whole big basketful of riddles. Not to mention Sister Nuanshu, even Pei Qian can't compare to me. She can never figure out the answer, and she just gets all anxious and runs around in circles."
Liu Shiliu smiled. "Go ahead."
Zhou Mili coughed. "There's a drum in the sky, hidden deep in the clouds. One knock and it rumbles. Another knock and it rumbles. What's that? Do you know?"
Liu Shiliu said, "Thunder."
Liu Shiliu glanced at the sky. The ancient deity whose golden body he had knocked down earlier wasn't from the Thunder Ministry. But the next one might be.
Zhou Mili gave a thumbs up, then the little girl started pondering.
Oh boy, she'd encountered a master.
Xiao Mili, who had been about to give the big man a hint, asked again, "There's a grass on the mountain, with plenty of pearls. I tried to get them and failed. You'd go in vain too..."
Liu Shiliu said with a smile, "Dewdrops, right?"
In the books, there's something like "like morning dew, the more days gone, the more bitter." And also "fortunately safe, seeing the day again. The rest are innocent—why should they be the first to face the morning dew?"
Zhou Mili folded her arms and frowned, thinking of a more difficult riddle. "So many chess pieces, such a big board. We can only watch, but we can't play. Tell me, what are the pieces?"
Liu Shiliu smiled and shook his head.
He had once traveled far beyond the heavens, witnessed with his own eyes the Dharma form of Ritual Sage, picking up those "chess pieces" to block those ancient existences.
Zhou Mili shook her head, smiling. "So hard, right? It's okay if you don't know. Just look up at night, and you'll get the answer."
Then the little girl saw that the big man seemed a bit downcast, so she said, "Small stone tablets, one by one, standing in two rows by the door." She opened her mouth slightly and grinned.
Liu Shiliu smiled and ruffled the little girl's head. "Got it."
"Being tall, close to the sky, I really envy you."
Zhou Mili rested her chin on her hand, gazing into the distance. Her melancholy was small, but it was truly sorrowful. "Half Mountain Lord Senior Brother, let me tell you a secret. I actually don't like patrolling the mountains that much. But every day on the mountain, if I'm just cracking melon seeds and doing nothing, I can't help with anything. Tell me, isn't that worrying? So every time I patrol, I run super fast. That's my way of secretly slacking off."
Liu Shiliu nodded. "I'll keep your secret."
Zhou Mili leaned in a little closer and whispered, "Then let me tell you a huge secret. When I and Good Person Mountain Lord were walking the jianghu together up in the Northern Julu Continent..."
The little girl first put her green bamboo staff and golden carrying pole aside, then stood up before continuing. "I stood right inside a big bamboo basket and kept knocking Pei Qian's master's head like crazy. Good Person Chen said one snowflake coin for one chestnut. I didn't even blink."
Liu Shiliu smiled. "Then you're really something."
Zhou Mili, who had been radiant a moment ago, suddenly looked dejected. "Those riddles—he taught me all of them. If he doesn't come home soon, I'll forget them."